a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down »
An otherwise unpleasant situation can be pleasant when a pleasant aspect is deliberately introduced.1999, Eli Yassif, The Hebrew Folktale: History, Genre, Meaning, Indiana University Press, ISBN 0253335833, page 372,One is known as the "sweetening parable," that is to say a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down. Thus, when the aim is to preach to the people, to guide them along the "bitter," arduous path of upholding burdensome precepts and prohibitions, a tale can lighten the load, make the "medicine" easier "to swallow."2001, Maureen Reagan, First Father, First Daughter: A Memoir, Little, Brown, ISBN 0316736368, page 319,It put some fun into the tedious business of preparing for a presidential debate. A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, right?2004, John Hoover, How to Work for an Idiot: Survive & Thrive... Without Killing Your Boss, Career Press, ISBN 1564147045, page 11,If a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, a barrel of laughs can wash down the big pills you might need to swallow.
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apple does not fall far from the tree »
A child grows up to be very similar to its parents, both in behavior and in physical characteristics.1842, E. A. Freidlaender (translator), Frederika Bremer (author), The Neighbours, ch. 10:It is impossible to look at Madam Rhen, without at once making the conclusion that she is pleasantness, hospitality, and loquacity itself; nor can one look upon her daughter Renetta without thinking, "the apple does not fall far from the tree!"1978, Dr. Isador Rosenfeld, "Doctor Asks Patient
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bang to rights »
Caught red-handed; in a guilty state.
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barrel of laughs »
A toy in the shape of a barrel that emits sounds of laughter.
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caught between the devil and the deep blue sea »
Having a choice between two alternatives, both undesirable.
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caught in the act »
To be found doing something that you weren't supposed to be doing, while you're doing it.
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caught with one's hand in the cookie jar »
Observed or apprehended while committing a theft, especially while embezzling money.
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caught with one's pants down »
Caught off guard, unprepared, or in an embarrassing situation.
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double up »
After a fly ball has been caught.
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fall through »
To be unsuccessful, abort, come to nothing/naught; to be cancelled; not to proceed.
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knacker's yard »
That area of a slaughterhouse where carcasses unfit for human consumption are rendered down to produce useful materials such as glue.
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laughter is the best medicine »
It is healthy to laugh.
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not be caught dead »
To refuse completely to do something.
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object lesson »
A lesson taught using a familiar or unusual object as a focus.
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put on airs »
To become haughty, to assume a haughty manner.
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Rabbit »
Caught like a rabbit in the headlights.
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slippery as an eel »
So crafty, or cunning that they cannot be caught by the police, although it is known that they are acting illegally.
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stuck up »
Snobbish, conceited; believing oneself to be better than others; haughty.
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the jig is up »
An expression used to mean "We have been caught out and have no defence", or if spoken to a person who's just been found out as the perpetrator of an offense, it means "You've been discovered.".
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throw away »
To place a son or daughter for adoption.
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